How Many Lies
Spandau Ballet Lyrics


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Once there were times,
Once there were reasons filled with rhymes,
Everything shared, everything told
You keep me so warm,
Protect me from all those mighty storms
And dreams seem so old
So look at us now, just look at us now,
With our hands on our hearts
And lines on our brow
How many lies must we tell?
How many lies must we see?
How many times must we say, it's for the best?
And leave truth as the casualty?
Do you read through the lines,
Or believe the TV and the Times?
Where can we find more ways to see?
You strain on the truth,
And make believe all when you cry wolf,
And the lies you're giving me
So look at us now, just look at us now,
With our hands on our hearts
And lines on our brow
How many lies must we tell?
How many lies must we see?
How many times must we say, it's for the best?
And leave truth as the casualty?
Oh, well the truth is hard,
So when they write the book,
Fiction's what you wanna be
Well, it's your freedom of choice,
But you know that lies, are the cancer of democracy
You've painted your face,
And now you've tainted your words
And now you're ready and armed with love
Well if you're head is steady,
And your soul is ready,
We're going up above
So whatever you wanna be,
Just come on along with me,
If there's truth in our hearts,
Maybe we can break free
How many lies must we tell?
How many lies must we see?
How many times must we say, it's for the best?
And leave truth as the casualty?
How many lies must we tell?
How many lies must we see?
How many times must we say, it's for the best?
And leave truth as the casualty?




How many times must we say,it's for the best?
And leave nothing, yeah

Overall Meaning

In "How Many Lies?" by Spandau Ballet, the lyrics express frustration with the prevalence of lies and disinformation in society. The song laments the loss of truth in the media and in personal relationships, exploring the idea that lies are like a cancer that can erode democracy and lead to societal breakdown. The lyrics ask how many lies must be told and how many times the idea that something is "for the best" must be used to justify dishonesty.


The opening verses express nostalgia for a time in the past when things were simpler, more honest, and more connected: "Once there were times, / Once there were reasons filled with rhymes, / Everything shared, everything told / You keep me so warm, / Protect me from all those mighty storms / And dreams seem so old." However, the remainder of the song focuses on the present and the need to address rampant lies and falsehoods: "Where can we find more ways to see? / You strain on the truth, / And make believe all when you cry wolf, / And the lies you're giving me."


Line by Line Meaning

Once there were times,
There was a time in the past when things were different.


Once there were reasons filled with rhymes,
There were meaningful and poetic reasons behind our actions.


Everything shared, everything told
We used to share and communicate everything.


You keep me so warm,
You provide me with comfort and protection.


Protect me from all those mighty storms
You shield me from difficult and trying situations.


And dreams seem so old
Our aspirations and hopes feel distant and outdated.


So look at us now, just look at us now,
Consider our current situation and how we've changed.


With our hands on our hearts
We make a sincere pledge or promise.


And lines on our brow
We show visible signs of stress, worry, or aging.


How many lies must we tell?
We wonder how many untruths we have to speak.


How many lies must we see?
We question how many falsehoods we have to witness.


How many times must we say, it's for the best?
We inquire about how often we have to justify our actions as being beneficial.


And leave truth as the casualty?
Truth is being sacrificed for other purposes.


Do you read through the lines,
Do you analyze and interpret what's really being communicated?


Or believe the TV and the Times?
Do you trust mainstream media or do you have a healthy skepticism?


Where can we find more ways to see?
We are searching for alternative perspectives and sources of information.


You strain on the truth,
You push and twist the truth in order to fit your narrative.


And make believe all when you cry wolf,
You pretend and exaggerate in order to create a sense of danger or urgency.


And the lies you're giving me
You're deceiving me with false information.


Oh, well the truth is hard,
The truth is difficult and challenging to face.


So when they write the book,
When history is recorded or when the story is told.


Fiction's what you wanna be
You prefer to distort or invent reality for your own benefit.


Well, it's your freedom of choice,
You have the right to choose your own actions.


But you know that lies, are the cancer of democracy
You understand that lying can erode and harm the foundations of a democratic society.


You've painted your face,
You've put on a false persona or disguise.


And now you've tainted your words
You've contaminated your speech with deceit.


And now you're ready and armed with love
You're prepared and equipped with affection and compassion.


Well if you're head is steady,
If you're able to think clearly and logically.


And your soul is ready,
If you're prepared to act with integrity and morality.


We're going up above
We're aspiring to a higher level of consciousness or spirituality.


So whatever you wanna be,
You have the freedom to choose your own destiny.


Just come on along with me,
Join me on this journey.


If there's truth in our hearts,
If we are honest and genuine in our intentions.


Maybe we can break free
Perhaps we can liberate ourselves from the constraints of lies and deception.


And leave nothing, yeah
And let nothing be sacrificed or lost in the process.




Contributed by Ruby F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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